Women lead
the way

How your support is changing lives

Women are leading their communities out of poverty

At the heart of the communities where we work are some of the most incredible women and girls, who are strengthening their communities and building a brighter future for themselves, their children and their families.

Bead work is helping Gladies, from Kenya, to build a sustainable income for herself and her family

From Bangladesh to Guatemala, Malawi to Vietnam, women across the globe today are taking control of their futures and building a better world.

By boosting their incomes, building sustainable livelihoods, claiming their rights and taking on leadership roles, women are leading the way in their communities - and making a huge impact.

On behalf of us here at ActionAid, we send you a big heartfelt thanks for standing in partnership with women and girls around the world to help make these changes possible.

Please enjoy reading these amazing stories, which show just how much of an impact your donations make.

Bead work is helping Gladies, from Kenya, to build a sustainable income for herself and her family

"It is encouraging to see the women in my community become motivated seeing my success"

"I attended a three-day training session at a local fishery and now we earn a steady income selling young fish," says Momena, from Bangladesh.

Momena attended an ActionAid fish breeding course and now runs her fish hatchery from home

"This income has opened so many doors for us. We have saved for the operation that my husband desperately needed, and we’ve leased some land where we have created a pond with fish to sell at the markets."

Momena is a member of a women’s farmers group that ActionAid established in her community.

Momena has worked hard to make her new business thrive, securing the futures for her children, including her youngest child Jonaid

"After our training, we obtained a loan from the ActionAid women’s farmers group for BDT 10,000 [£84] which enabled us to install a hatchery in our home.

"We started to produce young fish to sell to the fish growers, which was much better for my husband’s health, and working together meant our income started to increase. This has increased our monthly income to BDT 25,000 [£211].

"My hatchery has had a great impact in my community too, because the fish growers are getting their fish supply within our village, which has reduced the cost and time for them.

Momena and her husband Mosarof now work together running their successful fish business

"I can now support my children with their studies and my husband has received his surgery – none of which would have been possible if we hadn’t attended the ActionAid fish rearing course.

"It has changed the course of our lives and secured our family’s future – thank you!"

Momena attended an ActionAid fish breeding course and now runs her fish hatchery from home

Momena has worked hard to make her new business thrive, securing the futures for her children, including her youngest child Jonaid

Momena and her husband Mosarof now work together running their successful fish business

"I have learned to be a proud and productive farmer, earning an improved income for my family"

"I have learned how to harness the local wildlife, so they naturally pollinate my crops, and how to utilise the manure from animals to improve the quality of my soil, all of which has had a positive impact on my yields," 27-year-old Maria de Fátima from Brazil told us.

Learning new skills has empowered Maria de Fátima to help other farmers in her community

Maria de Fátima is part of a women’s group in her community, created and supported thanks to the commitment of people like you.

"In addition to all the new skills that I have learned, ActionAid invited me to join the smallholder farmers group. We sold our products at the local farmers markets.

Using social media Maria de Fátima has reached more customers, improving her income

"By using social media, we were able to advertise the farmer's markets, show our products and reach new customers.

"When Covid-19 closed our markets, we set up a delivery system, so our customers were not without [the products], and we managed to continue earning an income.

"All this knowledge has empowered me to take part in the management of the local farmers markets. As a young woman it is important to me to be able to support my local community and help them sell their products.

Thanks to learning new farming skills, Maria de Fátima has increased her yield

"ActionAid supported me to understand how essential it is to grow diverse crops. I have learned to be a proud and productive farmer, earning an improved income for my family – thank you."

Learning new skills has empowered Maria to help other farmers in her community

Learning new skills has empowered Maria de Fátima to help other farmers in her community

Using social media Maria de Fátima has reached more customers, improving her income

Thanks to learning new farming skills, Maria de Fátima has increased her yield

"I can afford to send my four children to school thanks to the income generated from my agricultural production"

"I attended workshops where I learned how to improve the quality of my soil using natural fertiliser," Capitoline, from Burundi, told us.

Capitoline is among 60 women who have transformed their rice yields thanks to learning new farming techniques

"When it rained, I struggled to store any of the water. In one of the workshops, I learned how to use gravity to capture the precious rainwater, so I have more water for longer."

Capitoline is part of a women’s group in her community, where we are providing training for members on new and advanced farming techniques to improve the quality of their crops. Capitoline explains:

"This year, my production of rice has increased from less than 50kg to over 150kg. I produce to sell and to eat at home, which means I can afford to send my four children to school thanks to the income generated from my agricultural production.

The new granary store means Capitoline can sell her produce at the most opportune moment to generate the most income

"After harvesting my rice, my storage facility at home was open to the strong sunlight.

"This would result in some of the rice spoiling and a reduction in my income. But, thanks to ActionAid, we now have a community granary where I am able to store my produce and sell it at the most opportune moment.

"I thank ActionAid for the valuable support they have provided me and the other women in my community. Access to food is no longer a major challenge for my family."

Capitoline is among 60 women who have transformed their rice yields thanks to learning new farming techniques

The new granary store means Capitoline can sell her produce at the most opportune moment to generate the most income

"For the first time in my life, I am contributing to the financial needs of my family"

"I was excited to attend the ActionAid business skills training where I learned how to identify a market within my community, how to keep records, calculate the best-selling price, profit calculation and the importance of saving too," mother-of-three Tigist, from Ethiopia, told us.

Thanks to the commitment of supporters like you, we have created a women’s group in Tigist’s community. We're supporting over 300 group members to learn skills to earn an income, as Tigist explains:

With the support of the savings and loan cooperative, Tigist’s business is thriving, securing the future for her family

"I jumped at the chance to join the women’s saving and credit cooperative established by ActionAid, as women are unable to obtain business loans through a bank. With the small amount of money that I borrowed, I bought a cow.

"Using the cow’s milk, I make cheese to sell at the local market. I sell 4-5 kilos of cheese and make Birr 30 [£4.63] profit per day. The profits have allowed me to repay my original loan and take out a new one to purchase another cow.

Tigist is selling 4-5 kilos of cheese per day to support her family

"For the first time in my life, I am contributing to the financial needs of my family, my children are in school, and we are eating healthy food that we are growing in our garden.

"It is great to see that the perception of the women in my community has shifted and we are now equally valued.

"The savings and loan cooperative has given us women the confidence to try new ideas and we have demonstrated that we too can earn our own income."

With the support of the savings and loan cooperative, Tigist’s business is thriving, securing the future for her family

Tigist is selling 4-5 kilos of cheese per day to support her family

"For the first time in my life, I have been able to save some of my income"

"I received training in the making of pastries and to get me started ActionAid provided me with rolling pins, a frying pan, cake tins and a charcoal stove plus quality ingredients," says Esther, a mother of four boys, from Ghana.

Esther attended an ActionAid workshop set up to help women learn new business skills.

Thanks to your support, Esther has learned new skills which have increased her income

"As a result of the training and the start-up tools and materials that I received from ActionAid, I set up my own pastry business," she says. "There’s a pastry snack that we call pad, which is either meat or egg wrapped in a thin pastry, and this is what I make and sell.

Esther has added creating a local snack called pad to her skill set, which is providing her with a sustainable monthly income

"With my pastry business and my farming, I can now provide for my children. Previously I earned 200 Ghana cedis [£23.98] after each harvest, which was twice a year. Now I am earning this every month.

"For the first time in my life, I have been able to save some of my income.

Learning a new skill means that Esther is able to contribute to her family’s needs

"I am proud to be giving back to my community by training other women in the skills that ActionAid kindly trained me in. Thank you for helping me to change my life and the lives of other women in my community."

Thanks to your support, Esther has learned new skills which have increased her income

Esther has added creating a local snack called pad to her skill set, which is providing her with a sustainable monthly income

Learning a new skill means that Esther is able to contribute to her family’s needs

"We have a right to be listened to and have the right to participate in community meetings"

"When I was growing up, I learned from my mother that us women were not supposed to voice our opinions and ideas, even if they would benefit our family or community," 46-year-old Elena from Guatemala told us.

Thanks to your support, the lives of Elena, Diego, and their daughter Ester (centre) have changed for the better since they learned they have equal rights

"It wasn’t until ActionAid started to run workshops in my village that I realised things could be different.

"Myself and my husband attended workshops where we learned that women have the same rights as the men. We have a right to be listened to and have the right to participate in community meetings.

Now the household chores are shared, Elena and her daughter Ester have the time to spend together making traditional Mayan clothing which they sell

"We learned that by sharing the chores at home with our sons and husbands, instead of leaving them to the wives and daughters, it meant we freed up time to be able to do other things.

"At home my family support me, we have put into practice what we have learned. We practice equal rights so if I’m out at a community meeting, my husband will cook dinner. My son helps with the housework once he has finished his homework.

Elena and Diego share the responsibilities of looking after their chickens

"The shift in responsibilities at home means I have more time to concentrate on earning my own income. My daughter and I enjoy weaving huipiles [traditional Mayan clothing] which we sell to cover school expenses. We also have a small vegetable garden and a chicken farm, both of which provides us with a steady income.

"I thank ActionAid for helping us women find our voice and changing our lives and the futures of our daughters."

Thanks to your support, the lives of Elena, Diego, and their daughter Ester (centre) have changed for the better since they learned they have equal rights

Now the household chores are shared, Elena and her daughter Ester have the time to spend together making traditional Mayan clothing which they sell

Elena and Diego share the responsibilities of looking after their chickens

"I’m much more than a fisherwoman, I am a businesswoman."

Marie Laurène, Haiti

"I can take care of my children and their schooling needs thanks to this project"

"I have learned that I am much more than a fisherwoman, I am a businesswoman," Marie Laurène from Haiti told us.

"Living in a coastal community, women’s roles are often limited to the selling of fish. I felt ashamed being a fish seller - it was not seen as an impressive career.

The women’s fishing cooperative that Marie Laurène (centre) is part of, has transformed incomes and built a sense of pride

"I was therefore excited when I heard about ActionAid’s work in training and supporting the women in fishing communities.

"They created a women’s fishing cooperative and provided us with a new boat, fishing equipment, life jackets and coolers. We received training on new ways of fishing such as not catching undersized fish, so we can protect our precious resources for future generations.

"As a cooperative we share the tasks, such as completing our accounts and sharing the profits, between us. I am making around 10,000 gourdes [£75] a month.

The new fish processing unit will help Marie Laurène reach more customers by providing fish drying and smoking facilities

"ActionAid is also helping us construct a fish processing unit where we will be able to sell our fresh seafood for immediate consumption and have the facilities to dry or smoke the fish to preserve it for even longer.

"I am proud to fish now. When I'm at sea, I am amazed by its immensity and I’m always grateful when I come back with my net full of fish. I am no longer depressed or stressed because I can take care of my children and their schooling needs thanks to this project."

The women’s fishing cooperative that Marie Laurène (centre) is part of, has transformed incomes and built a sense of pride

The new fish processing unit will help Marie Laurène reach more customers by providing fish drying and smoking facilities

"I am able to cover my household expenses and provide a better life for my children"

"Hello, my name is Pusha, and I am 36 and I live in India. My husband was the breadwinner for our family, but when he died, I was overwhelmed with the responsibility of providing for my son Manash and my daughter Natika.

Thanks to your support, Pusha (centre) has learned new skills so she can support her family

"My neighbour suggested I contact ActionAid as she’d heard that they work with women to help us help ourselves. This appealed to me as I didn’t want to rely on handouts; I wanted and needed something that would help long term.

"I learned that there was an ActionAid-supported women’s dairy cooperative in my community. I was encouraged to join their training programme where I learned how to keep the cows clean and healthy and safe from predators, as well as how best to store the milk to preserve it.

Over 150 women from nomadic tribes, including Pusha, have been able to improve their livelihoods thanks to supporters like you

"They also helped me obtain financial assistance from the government, to help nomadic families like mine secure their livelihood. With the money I received, I bought a buffalo.

"By selling the buffalo milk I have been able to cover my household expenses and provide a better life for my children.

Pusha can now afford to feed her family and send her children to school

"I am relieved to have found a sustainable source of income through dairy farming. I am at a loss for words to thank ActionAid for their constant support and motivation, as well as for guiding me in ensuring my livelihood.

"My children now attend school on a regular basis, their outlook on life has changed significantly as a result of the new opportunities provided by ActionAid – thank you!"

Thanks to your support, Pusha (centre) has learned new skills so she can support her family

Over 150 women from nomadic tribes, including Pusha, have been able to improve their livelihoods thanks to supporters like you

Pusha can now afford to feed her family and send her children to school

"Bead work has enabled us to earn our own income and provide for our family’s needs"

"With the support of ActionAid, the women in my community formed a bead making group," Gladies, from Kenya, says.

"At first, it was a great challenge for me to leave home and meet with the other women as I lacked confidence in myself.

Gladies (left) is one of 11 women who have used bead making to transform their lives

"With the help of the ActionAid workshops, I learned new skills including leadership and confidence building and that women have rights, including the right to earn their own income.

"ActionAid supported our women’s group to purchase specialist equipment, beads, needles, clasps, tape measures and pins. We use the beads to make ornaments and jewellery, using different coloured beads for different occasions, for example: green symbolises health and land, blue represents energy and the sky, and white signifies peace, purity, and good health.

Thanks to your support, Gladies and the other women in her family have learned they have the right to earn their own income

"Our group of 11 women invested our profits of 32,000 Kshs [£212] into six male goats, which we kept until they were bigger and sold them on at a profit. We sold each goat for 8,000 to 12,000 shillings [£52-78]. I have now invested my share of the profits into poultry.

Gladies has reinvested her bead making profits into poultry to provide her family with another income stream

"Bead work has enabled us to earn our own income and provide for our family’s needs. At first it was not easy for my husband to agree that I earn my own money, but the men in our community now appreciate our skills and our role in supporting our families.

"Thank you so much ActionAid - your support has changed our lives and livelihoods forever."

Gladies (left) is one of 11 women who have used bead making to transform their lives

Thanks to your support, Gladies and the other women in her family have learned they have the right to earn their own income

Gladies has reinvested her bead making profits into poultry to provide her family with another income stream

"I can safely sell my produce and my income is improving"

"When we first heard about the coronavirus, there was so much information going around our villages, we didn’t know what the truth was. It was a scary time," Alice, from Malawi, says.

"The government introduced a travel ban to stop the spread of the virus which impacted immediately on everyone’s ability to earn an income.

Alice (second right) is part of a women’s group that have helped dispel the myths of the Covid-19 vaccine in their community

"Just as we thought things were returning to something that felt like normal, Malawi had another surge in cases. Then we heard that a vaccine would be available.

"Sadly, the news of the vaccine came with another wave of misinformation and lots of people said they wouldn’t have it.

Alice (left) is happy to be selling her produce again now that she and her customers have been vaccinated

"I am part of an ActionAid-supported women’s group, and with their support my group put together a campaign to dispel the myths and help people better understand the vaccine.

"We created leaflets in different local languages, which we distributed, we arranged for public speakers to safely attend village meetings and for health professionals to answer questions. We also used these events to distribute hand sanitiser and face masks.

Alice and her grandchildren are happy that life is starting to return to normal

"All the women in the group got their vaccine to show people that it was okay and to ease their fears.

"I am happy to share with you that as soon as the vaccine was made available almost 15,000 people were vaccinated in my region in 30 days.

Alice demonstrating how washing hands with soap will help to protect against Covid-19

"I am happy that because people have been vaccinated, the travel ban has been lifted in our area and market days have returned.

"I can safely sell my produce and my income is improving. Thank you, ActionAid, for supporting us during these challenging times."

Alice (2nd right) is part of a women’s group that have helped dispel the myths of the Covid-19 vaccine in their community

Alice (second right) is part of a women’s group that have helped dispel the myths of the Covid-19 vaccine in their community

Alice (left) is happy to be selling her produce again now that she and her customers have been vaccinated

Alice, her husband, and their grandchildren are happy that life is starting to return to normal

Alice and her grandchildren are happy that life is starting to return to normal

Alice demonstrating how washing hands with soap will help to protect against Covid-19

"I am proud to tell you that our family no longer skips meals"

"Growing vegetables has become more difficult due to climate change and unpredictable rainfall, so the support we have received from ActionAid has been so valuable," says 22-year-old Delencia, from Mozambique.

"I was excited to learn that ActionAid was providing us women with the opportunity to learn new farming skills.

Delencia is among 320 women to receive training in new farming skills

"The training included how to use the manure from the animals to improve the quality of the soil, how to set up a drip irrigation system, plus business skills to help us develop our farms and reach bigger markets.

"The high-quality seeds, homemade compost and the drip irrigation system has transformed our farm. I can see this system helping us for many years to come, with the production of tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, peppers, and other vegetables increasing year after year.

By receiving high quality seeds, Delencia has been able to grow crops that cope better in drought conditions

"Our crops are providing us with a monthly income of 2,000 MZN [£23] and I am proud to tell you that our family no longer skips meals.

Thanks to your support, Delencia is now growing enough food to help her younger siblings attend school

"We have also been able to afford to add solar power to our home and we can purchase the school materials for my younger siblings.

"Thank you for supporting me to learn these new skills, which have transformed the lives of everyone in my family."

Delencia is among 320 women to receive training in new farming skills

By receiving high quality seeds, Delencia has been able to grow crops that cope better in drought conditions

Thanks to your support, Delencia is now growing enough food to help her younger siblings attend school

"I do not have to worry about leakages or miss school during my periods."

"I believe that access to sanitary pads is a basic human right and a matter of dignity"

"When I told my mother about my first period, she gave me a piece of old cloth to use as a sanitary pad. I was always conscious about leakage and felt that I couldn’t go to school during my period," 17-year-old Srishti, from Nepal, says.

Srishti is one of 125 girls who have learned how to make reusable sanitary pads, giving them the confidence to attend school during their period

For many girls, getting their period means putting their lives on hold. Menstruation is associated with stigma and girls are often made to feel embarrassed, with many self-excluding from school and social activities during their periods.

Learning how to make reusable sanitary pads means Srishti is comfortable during her period

Lack of access to proper toilets at school, limited information on menstrual hygiene, and poor availability of sanitary materials make it more difficult for girls to manage their periods. Srishti explained how this is now changing:

"Everything began to change when ActionAid held workshops that broke down the taboos about periods and provided information about menstruation and positive hygiene habits.

"They also set up a girls’ club where 125 girls received training on how to make reusable sanitary pads using locally sourced fabric and materials.

Srishti no longer worries about attending school during her period, thanks to the reusable sanitary pads she has learned how to make

"The pads are made of cotton and are washable and reusable – I can use it for three months. They are so much more affordable, and they have made us feel comfortable and able to manage our periods better.

"I do not have to worry about leakages or miss school during my periods. I believe that access to sanitary pads is a basic human right and a matter of dignity.

"Thank you for supporting us to manage our menstruation with dignity and for helping to breakdown period taboos."

Srishti is one of 125 girls who have learned how to make reusable sanitary pads, giving them the confidence to attend school during their period

Learning how to make reusable sanitary pads means Srishti is comfortable during her period

Srishti no longer worries about attending school during her period, thanks to the reusable sanitary pads she has learned how to make

"I am happier that I can spend more time with my family, and I am financially independent"

"I have been processing rice manually for many years. It took me about ten days to process 50kg of rice, leaving me with just 12kg of saleable rice," Wasila, a mother of two children from Nigeria told us.

The new rice milling machine has enabled Wasila to generate her own income and provide for her children

"I was frustrated that I was financially dependent on my husband and unable to support my family myself.

"Things began to change when ActionAid saw that there were many women rice farmers in my position. They provided the community with a rice milling machine and trained us on how to use it.

"I am now able to process 50kg of rice within 24 hours! And I have 25kg of rice left at the end of the process to sell.

The rice milling machine saves Wasila nine days when processing 50kg of rice

"ActionAid helped us to form a cooperative group and as a result, we’ve been able to access seedlings from the government and loans. The group has borrowed to purchase unprocessed rice which we process with our new milling machine, and then sell the processed rice to shops and supermarkets.

"Each member of the cooperative receives a share of the profits every week. With my share of the profits, I’ve purchased turkeys and hens, which I plan to sell when they are bigger.

Wasila (centre) is part of a women’s cooperative that is utilising the rice milling machine to generate their own income

"Thanks to the support of ActionAid, I no longer solely rely on my husband; I can support my family too.

"With my income I am able to purchase school uniforms and books for my children. I am happier that I can spend more time with my family, and I am financially independent – thank you."

The new rice milling machine has enabled Wasila to generate her own income and provide for her children

The rice milling machine saves Wasila nine days when processing 50kg of rice

Wasila (centre) is part of a women’s cooperative that is utilising the rice milling machine to generate their own income

"I was inspired and for the first time in my life, I felt like I could achieve more"

"I was invited to participate in ActionAid-supported meetings and workshops where I learned about the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA)," Fatima, a mother of three girls from Sierra Leone, told us.

"I’d never heard of this before and was inspired to learn that with each woman in the group saving a small amount each week, we could take turns to borrow from the savings pot.

The introduction of the community savings scheme has changed the lives of 29 women, including Fatmata (standing)

"Not only did I learn about the VSLA, but I also attended business skills and leadership workshops. I was inspired and for the first time in my life, I felt like I could achieve more.

"I committed to save Le 10,000 [£0.68] each week from my casual labouring as I could see there was an end goal. With the money, I purchased items that I could sell at the market and set up my business using the skills I had learned in the workshops.

Thanks to the Village Savings and Loans Association, Fatmata has been able to open a market stall and double her earnings

"The market stall has allowed me to secure a regular income, which is more than double what I was earning as a casual labourer.

Fatmata is the Chairlady of her community’s Village Saving and Loan Association

"The introduction of the VSLA in my community has quite literally changed the lives of us women and our families. I am no longer reliant on my husband’s income, and I can purchase the school materials that my three daughters need without worrying.

"I am now an empowered woman and I’m the Chairlady of our savings group – thank you ActionAid!"

The introduction of the community savings scheme has changed the lives of 29 women, including Fatmata (standing)

Thanks to the Village Savings and Loans Association, Fatmata has been able to open a market stall and double her earnings

Fatmata is the Chairlady of her community’s Village Saving and Loan Association

"It is great to see the young people in my community supported to achieve great things"

"Since leaving school, I have worked on the family farm, helping my parents to grow enough crops to feed us. This has been frustrating because I have felt that my potential had not been utilised," says 26-year-old Mtumwa, who lives with her parents and three younger brothers in Tanzania.

Mtumwa is among 300 young women supported by ActionAid to learn new skills

Thanks to supporters like you, young women like Mtumwa have attended workshops learning about their rights and life changing business skills, as she told us:

"With the support of ActionAid, we set up a young farmers group and applied for a government grant to set up greenhouses to grow vegetables.

"We also received a grant for a water well. Each harvest we make around 2.5m Tanzania shillings [£815], which we share between us whilst keeping some for further investment into our greenhouses.

With her newfound confidence Mtumwa has set up a second business raising chickens

"Utilising the confidence and knowledge I have learned growing vegetables in the greenhouses, I have invested in chickens whose eggs provide another income.

"I am very happy that ActionAid has helped me become a strong and confident woman. It is great to see the young people in my community supported to achieve great things.

"I am proud that I now help my parents to live better, but I’m also supporting my younger brothers by buying their school uniforms and books so they can stay in school.

"Thank you for your support, which has helped me fulfil my potential, earn my own income and bring change to the young women in my community."

Mtumwa is among 300 young women supported by ActionAid to learn new skills

With her newfound confidence Mtumwa has set up a second business raising chickens

"I am now part of a group of 13 young women called the Girls Solar Technicians Association and we are legally registered as a business."

"I am now part of a group of 13 young women call the Girls Solar Technicians Association and we are legally registered as a business."

"I am happy that each month I’m able to contribute to the running of our family home"

"Here in The Gambia, most of the skilled work is done by men; young women like me rarely have the opportunity to work alongside them. Instead we are expected to get married and have children," 29-year-old Fatou, from The Gambia, told us.

Fatou graduated from her training course and is now part of a female solar technicians' company

"I was, therefore, over the moon when ActionAid invited me and 35 other young women to attend an 18-month training course learning new skills such as carpentry, painting, welding, and solar panel installation.

"I am pleased to share with you that I graduated from the course, and I am now part of a group of 13 young women called the Girls' Solar Technicians Association and we are legally registered as a business.

"Since completing the training, we have given back to our community by carrying out maintenance of the village mosque solar system. We have also won a contract worth D500,000 [£7,126] for the installation of solar systems in 48 households.

Fatou (left) was one of 36 young women to attend an 18-month course to learn new skills

"The training has benefitted not only me, but my family and my community. Right now, there is no mains electricity in my village, but there is solar energy and whenever there is a fault, I have the skills to fix it.

"I am happy that each month I’m able to contribute to the running of our family home, easing the financial burden on my parents. This means my siblings have everything they need to attend school.

"Because of ActionAid’s support, I am proud to be able to help my family and my community – thank you for helping us women learn these new life-changing skills."

Fatou graduated from her training course and is now part of a female solar technicians' company

Fatou (left) was one of 36 young women to attend an 18-month course to learn new skills

"This whole process has empowered me; I am now contributing to the needs of my family"

"We identified that making reusable sanitary towels would be a profitable and sustainable business venture for our group," Esther, a mother of four children from Uganda told us.

Esther attended an ActionAid sewing course and now earns an income making reusable sanitary towels

"Whilst disposable sanitary pads are not too expensive individually, the costs are prohibitive over the month - even more so if you have daughters."

Esther is part of a women’s group in her community, which operates thanks to the commitment of supporters like you. Esther explains how this group is changing lives:

"ActionAid supported us by providing a sewing machine, fabric, and training on how to use the sewing machine. We sell packs of three reusable sanitary pads for UGX10,000 [£2], and with the pads’ durability of up to 12 months, this is a much cheaper option compared to disposable pads.

Thanks to your support Esther’s confidence has grown and she is now earning a sustainable income

"This whole process has empowered me; I am now contributing to the needs of my family.

ActionAid has supported 63 women with training and equipment to make reusable sanitary pads

"I can afford medical treatment and cover my children’s educational needs. I am so proud of myself; I didn’t know how to use a sewing machine before we started making the sanitary pads."

Esther attended an ActionAid sewing course and now earns an income making reusable sanitary towels

Thanks to your support Esther’s confidence has grown and she is now earning a sustainable income

ActionAid has supported 63 women with training and equipment to make reusable sanitary pads

"This support has helped, and is still helping, communities whose lives have been turned upside down by this pandemic"

"The Covid-19 pandemic couldn’t have come at a worse time for us. We sold our products from the farm at the markets, and with these all closed, we were unable to earn an income," H Byui, a mother of three children from Vietnam, told us.

Thanks to your support, over 2,300 families, including H Byui’s, received food and essential supplies during the pandemic

"We’ve been struggling as a family financially for a long time, we really didn’t need this.

"We grow crops and raise cattle while my husband also works elsewhere to provide us with a regular income. My two older sons left school early to find work to support our family.

The support package H Byui’s family received was a lifesaver during the pandemic

"I was diagnosed with heart disease when I was pregnant with my daughter. We had to take out a loan for my expensive treatment, which put additional strain on our family’s income."

ActionAid provided support packages which included face masks, hand sanitiser and rice seeds for families in Vietnam whose income had been impacted by the global pandemic. H Byui explains:

"The support package was a lifesaver, not just for my family, but many other families who also relied on selling at the markets for their income.

Thanks to the rice seeds H Byui received, her family had enough food to eat while the markets were closed

"The rice seeds played a major role in helping us get back on our feet and made sure our family were able to eat every day.

"Thank you so much for caring about our family so far away in Vietnam. This support has helped, and is still helping, communities whose lives have been turned upside down by this pandemic - it has made such a difference to us all."

Thanks to your support, over 2,300 families, including H Byui’s, received food and essential supplies during the pandemic

The support package H Byui’s family received was a lifesaver during the pandemic

Thanks to the rice seeds H Byui received, her family had enough food to eat while the markets were closed

Thank you so much for supporting these incredible women and girls as they lead their communities.

Please share them with your friends and family on Facebook or Twitter.

Images: ActionAid

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